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I was in a similar position. I started using computers at a young age (around 7) and by my early 20s had debilitating RSI. At one point I couldn't hold a mouse for much more than 15 minutes. I would wake up in the morning with both of my arms completely numb. I "solved" that problem by going through probably $5,000 worth of ergonomic keyboards and chairs.

I still experienced severe wrist pain, finally peaking out in 2010 where the pain and numbness was continuous. I assumed incorrectly that I had irreversible nerve damage.

Unrelated to this I started doing upper body strength training. Besides going from not having done a pushup in years to doing hand stand pushups I can now sit at my computer for 12 hour stretches with zero pain. By the way, this was about 3 weeks of training before the pain vanished. Over the past few years I've had brief pain a handful of times, that went away quickly.

Now whenever I start developing any sort of problem I revert whatever piece of my lifestyle that is out of balance back to its normal state. I wish I had figured this out a decade ago.



Eh, many many people get debilitating RSI whe they first start typing a lot in college or wherever, and grow out of it in a couple of years regardless of therapy technique.




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